Candy Cane Hearts
by Forever Optimistic
Summary: X-Mas fic. Lois has never been a sap. So it's baffling when she misses the things she once thought were so annoying once they are no longer there. A/N: Written a few years ago for an LJ prompt.


**Candy Cane Hearts**

Lois is distracted.

She's become one of those saps she's always making fun of and it's all Clark's fault. It's bad enough she started cooking on the weekends, getting her that much closer to being an actual girl, but this, this takes the cake.

Clark's been leaving her candy canes in the shape of a heart all over the apartment and on her desk at work for a week now, and though she told him she hates the darn things, he goes out of his way to make sure he places them where she's sure to see them. It's infuriating, really, and those little candy canes are taking over her life.

The first sign of things to come revolved around an incident with her coffee that first morning one week ago. She was at her desk trying to edit an article before sending it through for the afternoon edition when she found herself drawing little hearts with the little bit of coffee she spilled earlier. Once she took note of what she was doing, she quickly snatched a tissue from her drawer and looked around to make sure no one noticed.

She did it again over lunch while she ate alone, again, because Clark was across town tending to a warehouse fire. She found herself fiddling with the toothpicks from her club sandwich and minding her own business when she was taken out of her reverie by the waitress' running commentary concerning her artwork. Lois glared at the poor girl unnecessarily and was left alone when the waitress ran off into the kitchen.

The most recent incident was by far the most embarrassing and she would be hard pressed to show her face in the bullpen for a few days at least. They were in the middle of an afternoon meeting with the entire staff (minus a conspicuously absent Clark) when she started fiddling with her paperclips. Cat Grant of all people caught her at it and made a snide comment to the girl next to her before they both burst out laughing. Lois gave then her most scathing glare and elbowed Jimmy Olsen, who was sitting next to her, when he had the nerve to chuckle.

She makes up her mind to have a talk with Clark about the situation over dinner later that night, but she comes home to an empty apartment and a note under another pair of candy canes in the shape of a heart saying:

_I'm sorry I won't make it for dinner; there's a situation in New Zealand I need to take care of._

_I love you, and Merry Christmas!_

_Clark_

She sighs but smiles as she picks up the two candy canes. Smallville is such a sap.

When she wakes up the next morning, she realizes two things: Clark is not on his side of the bed and he did not come home at all last night. She checks her phone for messages but only has a short text from Chloe. It isn't the first time Clark hasn't come home after flying to another country to help. She's used to it, she is. Except for the fact that she finds herself very disappointed when she walks into the kitchen and doesn't find a candy cane heart where she has been finding one all week.

It's unmatched, Lois thinks sometimes, how lovey dovey Clark is and how lovey dovey he has made her that she feels a pang in her chest when she realizes why she's been drawing hearts over every available surface all week. The holiday season is the busiest time for a super hero and though Clark has made every effort to come home to her every day, she is most often left alone in their small apartment. She misses him. She misses the annoying little candy cane hearts.

It's Christmas Eve and though she doesn't want to think about it, she tells herself that she has to brace herself for the possibility that Clark will not be home to celebrate the holiday with her. He is not selfish and she won't be either. She takes her time wrapping everyone's presents, paying particular attention to Clark's. It's been years since she bought him this telescope but somehow she never got around to giving it to him. She then goes into the kitchen and decides to try her hand at Martha's recipe for her famous holiday cookies. She busies herself all day and well into the night when she finally stops and looks over their mantle. The clock says 11:54 and Clark still isn't home. Trying her hardest to keep the tears at bay, she walks into their bedroom to retrieve a blanket when she hears the familiar whooshing sound behind her. With a great big smile, she turns around and meets Clark's smiling face. He's standing there in his ratty grey t-shirt and jeans and holding out the biggest candy cane heart of all time, she's sure, out for her. She chokes back a laugh that comes out more like a sob and rushes towards him.

It's ridiculous that such a small gesture can make her whole world feel right again. As she breathes in his scent and looks up into his eyes, he kisses the tip of her nose and she smiles a goofy smile.

"Merry Christmas, Lois."

"Merry Christmas, Clark."


End file.
